The discovery could lead to the creation of tutoring programmes that adapt to
a pupil's level of interest, academics say

Computers are able to measure boredom levels by reading a person's body language, academics have revealed.

The research has found that, by analysing a person's movements as they use a computer, interest levels can be monitored by measuring how much a person fidgets.

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, body language expert Dr Harry Witchel, revealed that when someone is absorbed in what they are doing, there is a decrease in tiny movements – known as 'non-instrumental movements'.

The study, led by Dr Witchel of Brighton and Sussex Medical School, indicated that the discovery could have an impact on how artificial intelligence is developed.

Nao robots are already used in some classrooms to engage students Photo: AP

Commenting on the research, Dr Witchel said: "Our study showed that when someone is really highly engaged in what they’re doing, they suppress these tiny involuntary movements.

"It’s the same as when a small child, who is normally constantly on the go, stares gaping at cartoons on the television without moving a muscle."

He added: "Being able to ‘read’ a person’s interest in a computer programme could bring real benefits to future digital learning, making it a much more two-way process.

"Further ahead it could help us create more empathetic companion robots, which may sound very ‘sci fi’ but are becoming a realistic possibility within our lifetimes."

During the study, 27 participants faced a range of three-minute stimuli on a computer, from fascinating games to tedious readings from EU banking regulation. Their movements were then tracked over the three minutes.

In the two tasks, the more engaging reading resulted in a significant reduction (42 per cent) of non-instrumental movement.